A Melton Christmas Carol
by TCKing12
Summary: When Z Melton is visited by three ghosts, his whole view of the world around him, and Christmas, will change. (A retelling of the story of A Christmas Carol with All Grown Up characters, and characters from other franchises)
1. Introduction

**Chapter 1: Introduction**

Before you read this story, I need to tell you about it. This story is a Rugrats/All Grown Up version of the story A Christmas Carol, but it will also have characters from other franchises as well.

Now here's the cast for the characters of the story (In order of appearance):

Ebenezer Scrooge- Zason Ivander Maximillian Theodore "Z" Melton (All Grown Up)

Undertaker- Syndrome (Incredibles)

Undertaker's Apprentice- Cookie Monster (Sesame Street)

Carol-Singers- Kermit the Frog (Muppets), Elmo (Sesame Street), Marion Moseby (Suite Life Series), Guy (The Croods), and Shang (Mulan)

Boys- Dash (Incredibles), and Rancis (Wreck-It Ralph)

People- Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog), Danny Phantom (Danny Phantom), The Cat in the Hat (The Cat in the Hat), Shaggy (Scooby Doo), Mr. Fox (Fantastic Mr. Fox), and Kent Mansley (Iron Giant)

Fred- Dan Phantom (Danny Phantom)

Charity Workers- Phoebus (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), and Puss in Boots (Shrek)

Jacob Marley- Cocoa LaBouche (Rugrats in Paris)

Ghost- Rasputin (Anastasia)

The Ghost of Christmas Past- Vanellope Von Schweetz (Wreck-It Ralph)

Fran- Lillian "Lil" Deville (Rugrats/All Grown Up)

Fezziwig- Genie (Aladdin)

Dick Wilkins- Randall (Monsters Inc/University)

Belle- Martha May Whovier (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

The Ghost of Christmas Present- Hans (Frozen)

Bob Cratchit- Peter (Me) (Rugrats/All Grown Up)

Emily Crachit- Kimi (Rugrats/All Grown Up)

Peter Cratchit- George (All Grown Up: 2nd Generation Rugrats)

Timothy "Tiny Tim" Cratchit- Abigail (All Grown Up: 2nd Generation Rugrats)

Fred's Wife- Elsa (Frozen)

Fred's Friends- Rapunzel (Tangled), Eugene (Tangled) Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean), Lord Farquaad (Shrek), and Woody (Toy Story)

Ignorance- Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Want- Taffyta (Wreck-It Ralph)

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come- Erik/The Phantom of the Opera (The Phantom of the Opera)

Business Men- Gru (Despicable Me), Gaston (Beauty and the Beast), and Naveen (The Princess and the Frog)

Old Joe- Shan Yu (Mulan)

Mrs. Dilbler- Mrs. Potts (Beauty and the Beast)

Man and Woman- Anna (Frozen), and Kristoff (Frozen)

Boy- Taran (Black Cauldron)

Charity Workers Friend- Shrek (Shrek)


	2. Z

**Chapter 2: Z**

_Cocoa LaBouche was dead to begin with. There was no doubt about it. Yes, quite dead; dead as a doorknob. Did Z know it? Oh yes he did because he said so. He was the one who signed her certificate of death. He was her sole executor, sole administrator, sole friend, and sole mourner._

_Cocoa had died on December 24th, Christmas Eve, seven years ago. How I don't know; Z won't say. What I do know is that rather have an official funeral, Z had it done in a gloomy undertaker named Syndrome's establishment, so as to avoid paying anything. He had shown no sadness over her death- only annoyance over having to pay for her funeral at all. He reluctantly paid Syndrome just two farthings; nothing more. He then took the two pennies from the body before the coffin was closed, and he shook them at Cookie Monster, Syndrome's apprentice, saying "Tuppence is tuppence." and he left, to run his company alone._

* * *

Richmond, Christmas Eve, December 24th 1843

It was a chilly and frosty day in Richmond. Snow lay thin upon the ground and icicles hung from window sills. People were bundled up in coats and hats, trying to keep the cold out. Everyone was happy because it was Christmas Eve and everyone was preparing for the great day tomorrow, doing last-minute Christmas shopping, buying roast turkeys, and drinks for Christmas dinner, and hanging mistletoes.

From around a corner, an elderly man with green hair, and wearing a black suit, top hat, and holding a cane emerged. He had on his face an angry, disdainful look as he looked around at the cheery folks in the street. Z barged his way between a couple without even apologizing. He just said "Watch where your going!".

The moment people saw him, their happiness disappeared to be replaced with fear, and the carol-singers, whose names were Kermit, Elmo, Marion Moseby, Guy, and Shang, stopped singing. Other people hurried off quickly. Z gave an angry snort at them, and walked off.

3 minutes later, Z stopped to let a carriage go by. Two boys by the names of Dash and Rancis were holding onto the back and skidding along behind it. Z snorted as they rode off.

"Delinquents." he muttered to himself, while he walked on. He passed a bunch of people as he walked, among them Sonic the Hedgehog, Danny Phantom, The Cat in the Hat, Shaggy, Mr. Fox, and Kent Mansley.

Now as you may imagine, Z Melton was very unpopular. In fact, he was probably the least popular man in all of Richmond! Everyone shrank away from him as he approached. No one asked him the time or asked him for directions. Even blind men's dogs ran off, dragging their owners with them as he drew near.

Z knew this and he didn't care one bit about it. In fact, he liked it that way, for he was misanthropic and grumpy and never wanted anything to do with other people.

Anyway, 10 minutes later, Z reached the counting house of his company. The front door sat underneath a sign labeled _Melton and LaBouche: Moneylenders_.

Even after the death of his partner, Cocoa LaBouche, Z did not paint out her name. Some people called it Melton and Melton, and some LaBouche, but Z answered to both. It was all the same for him.

Inside the counting house, Z took off his hat and cloak, and sat at his desk, and he began writing out a lender, counting shillings and farthings, and adding them to his purse. He had returned from a business meeting elsewhere, though he had taken the keys to everything with him.

* * *

Later, Z was writing out a number of small personal loans. Just then, the front door opened, and a blue skinned man with white flaming hair, and wearing a black jump suit entered.

"A Merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!" the man said.

It was Z's nephew and only living relative, Dan Phantom. Unlike his uncle, Dan was a cheery fellow who loved Christmas.

Z merely snorted "Bah, humbug.".

"Christmas a humbug, uncle?" Dan asked. He chuckled, and then asked "You don't mean that, I'm sure?".

"Oh but I do." Z replied. He then asked "Merry Christmas? What reason have you to be merry? You... your poor enough!".

"Well, what reason have you to be morose? Your rich enough." Dan replied.

Z rolled his eyes, and he muttered "Bah, humbug.", and he returned to his paper.

"Don't be cross, uncle." Dan said.

"Well, what else can I be?" Z snapped. He then said "In a world of fools, with people wishing each other 'Merry Christmas'? Huh! What is Christmas time other than a time without money? A time when your a year older and not a penny richer. A time of balancing books and having every blasted item presented dead against you? I assure you, if I could work my will, every fool who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled in his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!".

"Come on, uncle! That's crazy talk!" Dan said.

"I know exactly what I'm saying!" Z said sternly. He then said "You keep Christmas in your way, and I'll keep it in mine!".

"But you never keep it." Dan said. He then said "It may not have done me good, mind. But I see Christmas as a time of charity and harmony; where we open up our closed hearts and treat others as equals rather than just people from another race. Thus, uncle, while it hasn't put a penny of gold or silver in my pocket, it's done me good and will continue to do me good, and I say God bless it!".

"Your quite a powerful speaker." Z said to his nephew. He then said "I'm surprised that you don't go into law and politics.".

"Come on, uncle." Dan said. He then said "Dine with us tomorrow night!".

"No thank you." Z said.

"Why not?" Dan asked.

"Why did you get married?" Z asked.

"Because I fell in love!" Dan said.

"Love? Huh!" Z snorted. He then said "Good afternoon.".

"Uncle, you never came even before I married Elsa. Why can't we be friends?" Dan asked.

Z didn't say anything except "Good afternoon.".

"I'm sorry your so resolute, but I shall keep my cheeriness to the last moment." Dan said. He turned to leave, and then stopped and he said "So, a Merry Christmas, uncle, and a Happy New Year!"

"Good afternoon!" Z snapped loudly.

Dan rolled his eyes, and left, chuckling to himself.

As soon as he left, 2 more people entered the counting house. One was a blonde french man in a golden suit, and the other was a orange cat wearing just a black hat, black boots, and a black cape, and he had a sword.

"Melton and LaBourche, I believe." the french man, Phoebus, said. He then asked "Do we have the pleasure of addressing Mr. Melton or Miss LaBourche?".

"Miss LaBourche has been dead for seven years this very night." Z replied.

"Well then, I'm sure her liberality has been passed on to you, Mr. Melton." the orange cat, Puss in Boots, said.

Z frowned. The word 'liberality' was very ominous to him.

"At Christmas time, Mr. Melton, it is our wish to give money to the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly due to the cold. Thousands need comfort and necessaries at this time." Phoebus said.

"Are there no prisons?" Z asked. He then asked "Are the Union workhouses still operating? The Treadmill and Poor Law still enforced?".

"Well yes." Phoebus said, shrugging.

"Then I am pleased to hear so." Z said. He then said "I'd hate to hear that they'd stopped working.".

Puss in Boots continued "A few people, including ourselves and our old friend, Shrek, are endeavouring to raise a fund for the poor to pay for food and warmth, and wanting to furnish peace of the mind and body. This time of festivity is the best time because we want to make as much people as we can. So, how much shall we put you down for?".

Z pretended to think about it for a few moments, before saying "Nothing.".

Phoebus raised his eyebrows, and he asked "You wish to remain anonymous?".

"I wish to be left alone! I don't find Christmas 'merry', and I don't wish to make lazy people 'merry'. I support the establishments of our working society, and people should work there." Z said.

"But many are badly ill, and many would rather die." Puss in Boots said.

"Then if they would rather die, then they better do it! And decrease the surplus population!" Z snapped. He then said "A man should look after himself and his family, and mind his on business, not interfere in others! Besides, if I give to the poor, I'd have less work on my hands. So good afternoon to you both.". When he finished saying that, he returned to his writing without another word.

"Very well." Phoebus said, as he and Puss in Boots turned to leave.

"Miserable old fool." they muttered to each other.

* * *

A few hours later, it was closing time at _'Melton and LaBourche'. _Inside, Z had just finished his work for the day. He got down from his stool, and left the counting house. He locked the door behind him, grabbed his cane, and he walked off.


End file.
